People love to debate adjectives like “the toughest”, but in my mind, and I’m sure in a lot of other seasoned marathon swimmers around the world, swimming from the Farallon Islands to San Francisco is the toughest marathon swim in the world.
First of all it is a 30 mile / 48 km swim… it is cold… around 50F / 10C… exceptionally rough water… very strong tide, current and lots of fog… oh, and it is the breeding ground for great white sharks… 11% of all great white shark attacks in the world happen here.
The numbers speak for themselves… Craig Lenning just became only the 3rd person to accomplish it… and only 2 relays have made it!
Have a look at the page in: http://openwaterpedia.com/index.php?title=Farallon_Islands
All I can say is: CONGRATS CRAIG!!!
Cheers,
Rob
Craig Lenning’s 15 Hours 46 Minutes Ends 47-Year Hiatus
Photo of post-swim Craig Lenning by Vito Bialla.
It took a team of believers and one very hard-core man from the mountains to finally end 47 years of non-success from the Farallon Islands.
Craig Lenning, escorted byVito Bialla and supported byDavid Holscher,Patrick Horn,Jamie Patrickand Evan Morrison, started at the Farallon Islands at 6 am local time this morning and finished on Muir Beach – 14 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge – 15 hours 46 minutes later.
Due to thick fog as Lenning approached the California mainland and a flood tide that did not emerge as planned, the team shifted to Plan B and ended up aiming for the closest point on land rather than finish under the Golden Gate Bridge as originally planned.
But Plan B was very sweet and rewarding as Lenning – a Colorado resident who has been training in high altitude in cold water (i.e., under 10°C) – becomes the third person in history to complete a Farallons Island crossing after the legendary duo: Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Evans and Ted Erikson.
Evans successfully swam across the Red Triangle from the Farallon Islands to Duxbury Point near Bolinas in August 1967 in 13 hours 44 minutes. That unprecedented swim was followed 3 weeks later by Erikson’s successful crossing (on his third attempt) from the Farallon Islands to under the Golden Gate Bridge in 14 hours 38 minutes in September 1967.
Three’s a charm. And Craig Lenning is the third legend to etch his name in Farallon Islands history.
Additional articles on Craig Lenning and his Farallon Islands swim are posted below:
* Craig Lenning Has The Right Stuff After 47 Years
* Gotta Good Feeling About The Farallons
* Big Day Out On The Ocean (Atlantic Division)
* Big Day Out On The Ocean (Pacific Division)
* 4.4 nm To Go For Craig Lenning
* So Far, So Good For Craig Lenning
* When Technology Meets Channel Swimming
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association
